HomePlay local video on Android with Plex app
What's Plex's new upgrade for Android?
Plex can now play local video on Android with no media server required. This great update makes Plex more of a standalone app on mobile as it no longer requires a connection with your Plex Media Server in order to work. This move will enable it to better challenge VLC, an app users have historically turned to in order play a wider variety of video file formats.
Why Plex makes this great update?
The expanded support arrives at a time when Plex is trying to reinvent itself as a DIY alternative to streaming TV services. It recently rolled out options to record live TV using a DVR-like function, as well as watching local channels by connecting Plex with an antenna. Many Plex users already have a robust video library with TV shows and movies from a variety of sources (cough, torrents) - some of which may be more difficult to play on mobile. This new option means you can load up those files on an SD card, or just sync them over to your device, then use Plex's Android app to watch them while on the go.
What extra benefits when you watch video with Plex app on Android?
The mobile app will fetch fresh metadata for your media file when it's opened - that is, a TV episode or movie file will show the title and artwork, while other video files will show the filename and thumbnail. In addition, most of the playback controls are available when playing a local video file, including seeking and skipping, and changing the audio tracks and subtitle tracks.
Supported local media types by Plex app on Android
The Plex app for Android support local playback of a number of file types including MKV, MP4, AVI and WMV. Not all video files are supported at launch, though - but most Android formats can be played, along with some third-party formats.
Android devices that support updated Plex Android app
Ver. 6.0 for Android phones and tablets
Original source:
https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/14/plex-can-now-play-local-video-files-on-android-no-media-server-required/
Play unsupported media types on Android with Plex app
Although the Plex app on Android devices can currently playback most native Android formats and it also tries its best to handle more video files, however, it is very likely that it will fail to handle certain media types such as commercial Blu-ray/DVD disc or disk image formats such as ISO, Video_TS, BDMV, etc or some uncommon digital or new file formats such as H.265, TS, MXF, XAVC, XAVC S, etc. To get full entertainment of all media types on Android devices with the Plex app, you will need to perform a format or codec transcoding process.
Here, a all-in-one stop solution called Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate is highly recommended to you. The program not only assists you to rip commercial Blu-ray disc, BDMV folder, ISO image file and DVD disc, Video_TS and ISO/IFO image, but also convert unsupported digital video to Android devices Plex app readable MKV, MP4, AVI and WMV or other formats. To get better output video and audio quality, you can flexibly adjust output profile parameters such as video codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution and audio codec, bit rate, sample rate, channels, etc.
Related article: Play H.265 on Android | Put Video to Android Phone | Play 4K Video on Android
Adjust output video aspect ratio for Android devices
If the original source video uses an aspect ratio that doesn't match with your Android devices, there will be black bars around the video frame when viewing the video with Plex app on Android devices. The good news is that you can easily fix this incompatible issue by changing the output video aspect ratio with the "Crop" function in the video editor window.
For Mac users, you can switch to download Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac to complete the conversion on macOS High Sierra, macOS Sierra, Mac OS X El Capitan, Mac OS X Yosemite and Mac OS X Mavericks, etc.
How to Convert Unsupported Local Video for Android Plex App Playing?
Step 1: Import unsupported local video or Blu-ray/DVD disc.
Download the free trial version of the program. Launch it on your computer. Click "File" menu and select "Add Video/Audio" or click the "Add Video" button on the top tool bar to import unsupported local video files into the program. For loading Blu-ray or DVD disc, Insert your Blu-ray or DVD disc into your computer's optical drive , hit "File" > "Load from disc" option.
Step 2: Define the output format.
Clicking the Format bar, from its drop-down list, select one of Android Plex app supported digital file formats such as "H.264 HD Video(*.mp4)" under "HD Video" main category, you can also choose other digital file formats according to your own needs.
Tips: Click "Settings" on the main interface to open "Profile Settings" window, here, you can flexibly adjust the output profile parameters including video codec, resolution, bit rate, frame rate, audio codec, bit rate, sample rate, channels, etc as you like to get better output video and audio quality.
Step 3: Adjust output video aspect ratio.
Go the "Crop" tab in the "Video Editor" Window, switch to the "Advanced Mode". To change output video aspect ratio, there are several aspect ratios for you to choose from, including 16:10, 16:9, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, and 2:1, you can choose your Android phone/tablet accepted aspect ratio. Once you select a "Display aspect ratio", the "green crop frame" will keep this ratio to crop video and you are able to preview the final effect in real time. If you want to keep the same aspect ratio in your final output files, do remember to set the Video "Size (pix)" in "Settings" section as the same ratio as display aspect ratio.
Step 4: Begin the final conversion process.
After all setting is completed, hit the "Convert" button at the right bottom of the main interface to begin the conversion process from unsupported media types to Android Plex app readable digital formats.
When the conversion is finished, click "Open Output Folder" icon on the main interface to open the folder with generated files. Then you can freely play converted files directly with the Plex app on Android phone or tablet on the move.
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